On anyone's list: A stop at SoBe, beer in the Keys

South Florida

Be seen at SoBe (South Beach): It's internationally known as home to the decadent party lifestyle of the rich and famous, and while access to that scene is limited to most of us, you can still get a taste of what it's about by taking in Ocean Drive, home of the Versace mansion ("Casa Casuarina"), the Art Deco Gift Shop, the News Café, and nearby museums and art-deco architecture.

An al fresco meal at the News Café (800 Ocean Drive; 305-538-6397; newscafe.com) is a relatively easy way to soak up the SoBe vibe, with "relatively" the key word. The line for the restaurant can be formidable, parking along the narrow Ocean Drive is treacherous, and the waitstaff is known for its brusque behavior. Still, the breakfasts (served 24/7) are surprisingly generous and tasty — and the sidewalk dining makes for perfect people watching of the perfect-looking people.

Have a beer at Sloppy Joe's (Key West): A visit to Sloppy Joe's (201 Duval St.; 305-294-5717; sloppyjoes.com) is a dandy starting point (or ending point) for a Hemmingway-centric tour of the Conch Republic. Visitor reviews of the restaurant side of the establishment are mixed because of the challenge of finding a table amid the throng of tourists and a menu that some consider over-priced. Yet there's no more appropriate place for a rum cocktail in Key West, and if you find your way to the back bar, it's even possible to enjoy it in something approaching seclusion.

To complete the literary theme, tie the bar visit to a stop at the Ernest Hemmingway Home & Museum (907 Whitehead St., 305-294-1136) and Casa Antigua (314 Simond St.), site of the hotel where the author initially stayed upon his arrival in Key West. Hard-core fans will want to schedule the trip during the annual Hemmingway Days Festival, slated this year for July 20-25.

Go back in time at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (Miami): Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the 1916 estate built by international industrialist James Deering, is one of the loveliest sites in Miami and frequent stop for visiting heads of state. The focal point is a 34-room mansion on Biscayne Bay that showcases Gilded Age European antiques in rooms and a central courtyard mixing Mediterranean and Renaissance revival architecture

Colombian landscape architect Diego Suarez was instrumental in the creation of Vizcaya's captivating botanical gardens, 10 acres of exquisitely designed paths featuring fountains, statues and orchid gardens. Make sure to take in the beautiful view of the bay from the expansive back patio (305-250-9133; vizcayamuseum.org).

Have a really good Cuban sandwich (Miami): While the title of "best" Cuban sandwich in Miami could spark a hot debate, there's really no such thing as a "bad" Cuban sandwich here — especially when it's being consumed in the shade of palm trees in the splendor of South Beach. The perennial favorites in this niche category — David's (1508 Collins Ave.) and Puerto Sagua (700 Collins Ave.) — are both in the trendy South Beach neighborhood.

In Little Havana, the best bet is Versailles (3555 SW 8th St.), a landmark eatery that spices up its Versailles "Special" Cubanwith chorizo sausage. There's usually a wait for a table, but it's worth it.

Visit the Flagler Museum (Palm Beach): There's perhaps no more significant name in Florida history than Henry Flagler, the co-founder of Standard Oil who spurred the state's development as a railroad magnate and hotelier in the 1800s and early 1900s. Spread over two floors and spanning 55,000 square feet, Flagler's Whitehall mansion is decorated in styles ranging from Louis XIV to Swiss chalet, with featured paintings by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The mansion's large, open-air central courtyard is modeled after palaces in Spain and Italy, and the opulent rooms are adorned with marble floors, walls and columns, murals on the ceilings and heavy gilding. Flagler's private Railcar No. 91 is exhibited on the museum's South Lawn (flaglermuseum.us).